Allison Walbrecht has led many cattle in her life and is now taking her skills from 4-H to lead and mentor young people through hands-on experiences in agriculture. Walbrecht, a senior animal science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has created the Unified Showing Program.
This program gives young people with disabilities the opportunity to show a lamb at the county fair.
What is her favorite thing about this program? The friendships that have been made over the years — and the joy she sees on the parents' faces seeing their child compete in something for the first time.
Walbrecht started Unified Showing after being a part of Unified programs at Lincoln Southwest High School.
“At the time we only had bowling and that was not my strong suit. In four years I never got a strike,” she said. “And I was just like OK, this is just not it for me. But I loved the community and loved the people.”
A turning point for her came when she was showing cattle as a sophomore in high school at the Nebraska State Fair — she saw a showman with a disability exhibiting a cow. After seeing that showman she knew she could start a program that would empower young people with disabilities through showing livestock.
After planning out the program, the day came for the first practice. Walbrecht was so worried about letting all of the families down that she almost texted all of the families not to come. But when they came and she saw a young member run into the pen and start playing with a lamb, she knew she owed it to the county to have this program. The program has now grown to be in Lancaster, Otoe, Saunders, Gage and Nemaha counties.
In the program, buddies who are ages 14-18 assist the young members who are learning to show a lamb. Walbrecht loves that some of the buddies have livestock experience but some don’t. So, many more people are getting to experience the beauty of agriculture.
Walbrecht is making an impact on young people from across these counties by giving them a feeling of accomplishment and a chance to compete. One of her original showmen, Olivia, passed away this past year, and Walbrecht got a call from Olivia's doctor, who said he had never heard Olivia talk so clearly and for so long about anything but her lamb, Fancy Nancy.
Walbrecht loves that she gave something to Olivia that she was so passionate about. “So amazing to watch them fall in love with something that I have always loved,” Walbrecht said. “It has been a privilege of a lifetime.”
Allison was never planning on attending UNL. She felt she would need to leave Nebraska to take ownership of an area and make quality connections somewhere else. But after attending a visit at UNL and visiting the Engler program, she remembers telling her mom “Oh that sucked!” Her mom did not understand why, because she thought it had gone really well.
Walbrecht replied “Ya it did, and now I have to apply!” She found her community and a home here on East Campus and UNL as a whole.
Walbrecht understood that she did not have to leave the state she grew up in to receive quality connections and make her mark. The Engler program and classes have been such an inspiration to her, and her time as a trail guide in the 101 class is something she says she will always remember.
She has loved seeing freshman students take action on their business as part of the Engler program and grow into strong individuals. “These Engler freshmen have a plan for what they want to do with their business, and they are so far ahead of where I was at their age!” she said.
Engler, she said, is a community that cares about each other on a personal level. She recalls Tom Field. the Engler director, giving out his phone number to high school seniors — one of whom was herself on a visit to Engler. He wanted to make sure they got home safe and made sure to text him when they did because a big storm was coming up outside.
This is what makes the Engler community unique, Walbrecht said — the genuine connections and strong belief in each student.
Walbrecht is planning on getting her degree in agricultural economics at UNL and recently got her UCARE (Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience) approved to research trade barriers and consumer preferences in the Indo-Pacific. She loves the trade and policy side of agriculture because of the real impact that policy has on farmers and ranchers.
This spring, she went to Washington, D.C., as a Nebraska CARET (Council of Agricultural Research Extension and Teaching) delegate. “It was so cool because I got to be surrounded by other delegates and also share my own testimony within agriculture,” said Walbrecht.
Because of her many experiences at UNL and the experiences within CASNR, she has been empowered to continue making her mark on the agricultural industry.
